FIG. 7 is a front view showing an interior of a conventional refrigerator.
As shown in FIG. 7, a refrigerator main body 1 includes a refrigerating chamber 3 and a freezing chamber (not shown), which are partitioned up and down from each other. The refrigerating chamber 3 and the freezing chamber are selectively opened or closed by means of refrigerating chamber doors 5 and 5′ and a freezing chamber door 7, respectively. The refrigerating chamber doors 5 and 5′ are respectively installed to be pivotable on their one ends so that their leading ends are moved in a fore and aft direction. In addition, the freezing chamber door 7 is configured to selectively open or close the freezing chamber in a drawer fashion.
Meanwhile, a cool air duct 9 is provided at a center of a rear surface of the refrigerating chamber 3. The cool air duct 9 is to supply cool air into the refrigerating chamber 3. To this end, as enlargedly shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of cool air supply holes 9A are provided in the cool air duct 9.
In addition, although not shown, a plurality of cool air return holes are provided in a lower portion of the rear surface of the refrigerating chamber 3. The cool air return holes are to transfer cool air, which has circulated in the refrigerating chamber 3, to a return duct (not shown).
Meanwhile, a plurality of shelves 11 are provided in the refrigerating chamber 3 in order to receive food. The shelves 11 are installed to be detachable into or out of the refrigerating chamber 3. The shelves 11 serve to vertically partition an interior of the refrigerating chamber 3. In addition, food is placed on an upper surface of the shelf 11.
Also, a vegetable receptacle cover 13 is provided in a lower portion of the refrigerating chamber 3. The vegetable receptacle cover 13 is a substantially lowermost shelf among the shelves 11 installed in the refrigerating chamber 3. The refrigerating chamber 3 is partitioned into upper and lower portions by the vegetable receptacle cover 13. At this time, the lower portion of the refrigerating chamber 3 corresponding to a part below the vegetable receptacle cover 13 is referred to as a vegetable chamber, for convenience.
A plurality of vegetable receptacles 15 are installed in the vegetable chamber. The vegetable receptacles 15 are installed to be taken in or out of the vegetable chamber in a drawer fashion. The vegetable receptacle 15 has a receiving space provided therein so that food such as vegetable or fruit can be received in the receiving space. The receiving space of the vegetable receptacle 15 generally has an open upper portion, which is covered with a bottom surface of the vegetable receptacle cover 13 or another vegetable receptacle positioned directly above it.
However, the conventional refrigerator as mentioned above has the following problems.
As explained above, the receiving space of the vegetable receptacle 15 is covered with the bottom surface of the vegetable receptacle cover 13 or another vegetable receptacle positioned directly above it, but this cannot ensure the complete sealing. Thus, the cool air circulating in the refrigerating chamber 3 is transferred to the receiving space of the vegetable receptacle 15 and brought into contact with food such as vegetable or fruit received therein. Accordingly, smell of other food stored in the refrigerating chamber 3 can be soaked into the food received in the receiving space of the vegetable receptacle 13, the food may be weakly cooled or overcooled, or moisture of food is vaporized to make the food dry.